GRAVHOUNDS enters early access on November 2, 2026, a Monday, on Steam (PC) and Xbox Series X|S. The date was confirmed on October 27, 2026, in a statement shared by PR firm Sandbox Strategies on behalf of developer Octopus Panic and covered by the specialist press.
How it plays
The game is a co-op action-builder for 1 to 4 players. Each mission sends a pack of bio-engineered dogs, described by the studio as blue-collar workers, to hostile planets: players must gather materials, build and defend a base, and extract with their haul before the alien swarm overruns the site.
Building is central to the loop: players deploy turrets, generators and fabricators and extend pipeline networks across the terrain to carry power and resources to the base and keep the escape route working. The Grav Beam tool can fling objects and enemies across the battlefield, and mobility includes boosting in any direction and hovering to reposition under enemy fire.
The risk is deliberate: the longer a pack stays on a dangerous planet chasing higher-value materials, the deadlier and more aggressive the swarm becomes. Abilities and upgrades unlocked mid-mission change each character build, so no two shifts tend to play out exactly the same.
Who is behind GRAVHOUNDS
GRAVHOUNDS is the first game from Octopus Panic, a studio founded by Josh Holmes, creative director of Halo 4 and former head of Halo Studios, with veterans of 343 Industries and DICE. The title was revealed at gamescom Opening Night Live and, according to coverage of the original announcement, it also arrives day one on Xbox Game Pass.
Early access and price
On its official Steam page, the studio says early access should last roughly six months, possibly longer, and that the price is expected to rise as the game grows toward version 1.0, with any change announced in advance.
Image credit: official GRAVHOUNDS artwork, released by Octopus Panic and reproduced in MXDWN's gamescom 2026 coverage.
Sources
- HappyGamer: Gravhounds Heads to Early Access on Nov. 2
- Games Press: Octopus Panic press release on GRAVHOUNDS
- Steam: official GRAVHOUNDS page
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